Pool safety in 3 easy steps
Your Local Certified Pool Inspector
Your Victorian pool safety inspector dedicated to providing efficient and reliable pool inspections and certification for Hume, Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong, Gippsand, Melbourne and Mornington Peninsula.
Victoria Pool Fence Inspections brings more than 20 years of auditing, compliance and management experience to the table, licensed and insured – for families and the community’s safety and peace of mind.
Show up on time
Always deliver a professional service
Identify risks and provide in a detailed report
Communicate the pool laws easily to you
Help you navigate your way through compliance
Step 1
First inspection
Have a swimming pool or spa?
In 2019, it became mandatory by VIC state law to have your pool or spa barrier inspected for safety and compliance.
We inspect onsite whether the swimming pool and/or spa barrier and surrounding areas are compliant
pool or spa barrier inspection to Australian Standards
written report with photographs and explanations on results
written rectification report for needed repair work
Compliance Inspection
$175+GST
The inspection service of your pool and spa barriers
Step 2
Follow-up inspection
We’ll book in a follow-up inspection of your safety barrier after you’ve completed repairs.
Step 2 is required only if repairs from Step 1 are needed.
Compliance Reinspection
$0
The reinspection service of your pool and spa barriers
Step 3
Issue certificate
We help you lodge your certificate of barrier compliance with your council and make the pool safety compliance process easy.
Certificates
$ 99+GST
Covering the issues of
Form 23 Certificate of Barrier Compliance
Form 24 Certificate of Barrier of Non Compliance
under Clauses 147ZG or 147ZH of the Building Regulations 2018
Handy reading resources
> Kid Safe Victoria
Explore the pool fencing laws and assess your pool safety on the Kid Safe Victoria website >here.
> Victorian Building Authority
Explore more about Swimming Pool and Spa Safety Barriers on the VBA website >here.
> Victorian Government
Explore Pool and Water Safety Tips from the VIC Gov website >here.
FAQs
Do you know if your barriers are non-compliant?
All your pool safety questions answered here
What is a pool?
According to the VBA Victorian Building Authority definition, the term “swimming pools” encompasses various types of aquatic structures:
1. Above-ground pools and spas, including relocatable and inflatable pools that can contain more than 300 mm (30 cm) of water and require on-site assembly.
2. In-ground pools and spas.
3. Indoor pools and spas.
4. Bathing and wading pools capable of holding more than 300 mm (30 cm) of water.
These swimming pools come in different forms, such as concrete pools, fiberglass pools, inflatable pools, temporary pools, wading pools, and above-ground pools. Additionally, spa pools are classified as a subset of swimming pools, encompassing any excavation, structure, or vessel resembling a spa pool, flotation tank, or tub, excluding spa baths.
In essence, swimming pools, swimming pool spas, swimming baths, wading pools, and paddling pools are designed as structures capable of containing a minimum of 300mm of water, serving as spaces for swimming and other water-related activities. They also enhance the value and lifestyle benefits of a property.
What is pool safety compliance?
Pool safety compliance minimises the risk of children aged 0-4 years from drowning in backyard pools by focusing on pool fence barriers and entries.
Compliance means your pool or spa meets the legal pool safety requirements for
- height and strength of barriers
- non climbable zones
- gates and latches, and
- preventing direct access to the pool area
What is a certificate of barrier compliance?
A pool safety certificate of barrier compliance certifies a swimming pool or swimming pool spa’s fences and barriers meet the state safety requirements.
In Victoria, assessments of your pool or spa enclosure and the issuance of pool compliance certificates are carried out by:
- A registered building surveyor.
- A registered building inspector specialising (Pool Safety) or
- A municipal building surveyor
These certificates must be renewed every four years.
If a building surveyor or pool safety inspector determines a pool does not meet the safety requirements for swimming pool and spa fences and barriers, they will issue a certificate of barrier non-compliance. The duration of this certificate’s validity depends on the extent of rectification work needed, ranging from up to 7 days to a maximum of 60 days. This allows sufficient time for any necessary rectification efforts to be completed.
What is a building inspector (pool safety)?
In VIC, pool safety inspectors issue Form 23 pool certificates of barrier compliance and Form 24 pool certificates of barrier non-compliance
Essentially, the pool safety inspector’s role is to inspect pools, spas and barriers and draw up the legal paperwork so Victorian property owners can lodge directly with their local council.
What happens at a pool inspection?
Your pool safety inspector conducts an on-site inspection where they will assess your pool, spa, and barriers to ensure compliance with both the Australian Standard and the relevant State regulations.
What are the top reasons for failing an inspection?
These are the primary reasons for pool compliance failures. Many of these have simple solutions that can be addressed prior to inspection:
- Gate hinges and/or latches are in disrepair or do not self-close properly.
- Objects that can be climbed, like trees, plant pots, BBQs, and clotheslines, are situated too close to the pool fence.
- The pool fence is below the required height of 1200mm, or the boundary fence falls short of the mandated 1800mm height.
- The gap between the vertical elements of the fence exceeds 100mm.
- The space beneath the bottom of the fence is greater than 100mm.
What service areas do VIC Pool Fence Inspections look after?
VIC Pool Fence Inspections services areas Hume, Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong, Gippsland, Melbourne and Mornington Peninsula.
Why Work with Us
VBA Licensed and Fully Insured
VBA Victorian Building Authority Registered and certified in the classification of Building Inspector (Pool Safety) to help you navigate your pool and spa barriers to meet state government standards. We operate in accordance with the Building Act of 1993 Part 9A Div2 of the Building Regulations 2018 and Australian Standards 1926.1. We work closely with you for the best outcome.
Professional and Reliable
We are passionate about child safety in and around swimming pools and spas. This drives us to provide quality service and expertise in reaching compliance while meeting customer expectations.
Expertise with Practical Solutions
All the knowledge to help you understand your obligations as a swimming pool and spa owner with all the answers so your pool barrier complies.
Proud to Service Locals
We are proud to offer pool fence inspections across Victoria. Inspecting pools in the Melbourne Suburbs and Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo, Gippsland, Hume and Mornington Peninsula regions.
I called VicPool Fence Inspections to assist with my pool compliance. I travel a lot however Dean was able to make time in his busy schedule to meet my needs. I found the value in his visit was his clear communication, advice and genuine interest in assisting me meet the compliance standard. He went beyond the normal scope and even liaised with the local council to work through an issue on my behalf. I would like to thank and highly recommend Dean from VicPool Fence Inspections for his professionalism, guidance and friendly approach.
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After calling a number of companies, we went with Dean from VicPool Fence Inspections as he seemed to have an interest in our compliance and not just about being paid the way a few other companies came across. His communication prior to the inspection was excellent and even sent us a pre inspection checklist to assist us. He turned up at exactly the agreed time and was extremely helpful and friendly, explaining his checks as he went. He gave us practical suggestions on how to fix a couple of minor non-compliances with various ideas. His price is very competitive and we will definitely use him again in 4 years-time. We couldn’t recommend him enough!
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